


Petty Grudges

by cafebat (ryki)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Arguing, Background characters - Freeform, Disappointment, Gen, Picking Fights, Pre-Relationship, Shangst Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryki/pseuds/cafebat
Summary: Shiro's had enough of Lance picking fights with Keith and decides to confront Lance about his problems with Keith.





	Petty Grudges

**Author's Note:**

> This work was written to go along with my own two-panel comic for Shangst Week Day 1: Garrison/ **Voltron** , which can be found [here](http://spibat.tumblr.com/post/162258834829) on tumblr. 
> 
> It's best to view it before reading as it gives some context towards the story.

A frustrated sigh leaves his lips as he watches Lance throw insults at Keith during their current training exercise. He decided to pair them up to try and get them to work together but it seems that plan is backfiring on him. The moment he saw Lance open his mouth, he knew this wasn’t going to end well.

He watches with a blank expression as Keith rounds on Lance to argue back at him, then winces as Keith takes the gladiator’s staff to the side. It sends Keith flying across the training room and away from the battle. He continues to watch as the gladiator advances on Lance, easily dodging his uncoordinated and panicked shots, before the gladiator swipes him away as well.

Shiro sighs as the gladiator shuts off automatically, sensing no threat nor opponents, before it disappears into the floor.

With steady strides, he makes his way over to Keith and helps him up before checking to make sure he’s okay. When he sees that he’s okay, he goes to check on Lance. Who is currently sulking on the ground but seems to be otherwise okay.

“Keith, go cool off,” he says with a hint of authority, refusing to take no as an answer. He sees the red paladin grumble under his breath, sees him wanting to defend himself and ask what Lance’s problem is, before stalking out of the training room; hopefully going to take a shower. There will be a time when they can all sit down and discuss this as a team but for now, Shiro knows Lance doesn’t want to deal with that after his humiliation.

He sees Lance trying to escape as well, crawling away from where Shiro stands, and stops him with a stern “Lance.” There’s no mistaking the way Lance flinches at that but he makes sure to stay in the room, plopping his butt back down on the floor and awaiting whatever punishment he thinks he’s going to get.

Which has Shiro relaxing, running his prosthetic hand through his hair before shaking his head. “What was that about?”

“What was what about,” Lance replies to his question with one of his own. It’s a defense mechanism and Shiro can see it a mile away, can see it in the way Lance crosses his arms over his chest, so he humours him with an answer to hopefully get one of his own.

“The way you were picking a fight with Keith,” he says patiently.

Lance would appreciate it if he wasn’t feeling useless already, “I wasn’t picking a fight with him,” he mumbles, shuffling on his feet.

“Then what were you doing?”

“I,” Lance starts, wanting to defend himself, but seeing Shiro’s expression he deflates and mutters under his breath. “I wasn’t trying to pick a fight with _him_.” He pauses but when Shiro doesn’t say anything further, he squirms in the long stretch of silence before letting out an explosive sigh.

“I was trying to get _him_ to pick a fight with _me_.”

Now that has Shiro’s brows raising in surprise. “What,” he asks dumbly.

“I wanted Keith to pick a fight with me!”

“Why?”

Lance flinches, and turns around just slightly, but otherwise says nothing.

Shiro lets the silence stretch on, hoping to get Lance to speak again but when it’s obvious Lance won’t say anything, he crouches down to sit near Lance instead of towering over him.

“Lance, what is this about?”

Lance doesn’t say anything but with the way he curls into himself, Shiro knows something’s wrong.

“Lance?”

He hears Lance whisper but his words are too soft for him to hear.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said,” Lance says loudly but there’s no heat in his tone, “that I heard you and Allura talking. About me. About how...” His words fade off into silence.

Realization hits Shiro and he can’t help but feel annoyed. Lance was picking fights with Keith, a completely innocent person in this situation, because he overheard him and Allura talking about him? Their words suddenly come to mind and this just proves that what was said about Lance is right.

In any other case, Shiro would’ve felt guilt about what was said about the Blue Paladin but with how Lance was treating an innocent person, he can’t help but feel like his words were justified. And since Lance already knows how they feel, that saves him the trouble breaking it to him any other way.

Shiro stands up with an air of disappointment and Lance curls into himself more.

“Listen, Lance. If you want us to take you seriously, you can’t keep picking fights with Keith. What has Keith ever done to you to warrant such behaviour? If you can tell me honestly where Keith has ever wronged you, I’ll talk to him about it. But if you can’t tell me a _single_ instance where Keith has ever done anything to you, _personally_ , then I don’t want to hear it.”

Lance wants to point out Shiro is being biased, taking Keith’s side like that, but he bites his tongue. There’s no use disappointing Shiro further and proving their words even more true. Shiro is his idol, and his crush, and the last thing he wants to do is ruin whatever chances he still has left at being an asset to the team, and maybe something more to Shiro.

Shiro shakes his head. If Lance refuses see the error in his ways, in his behaviour, then there’s no point in trying to tell him.

And to think he was starting to think he could rely on Lance.

If Lance had stayed a little longer during his eavesdropping, he would’ve heard Shiro vouch for him, saying that maybe smaller missions would help the Blue Paladin gain experience before jumping into something bigger; but it’s obvious that Lance only heard a _small part_ of the whole conversation.

Shiro turns on his heel, ready to be done with this, before he pauses and turns back toward Lance. He can see the tears in Lance’s eyes but can’t muster up the energy to feel sorry for him, not after seeing him treat Keith like a villain for the nth time and getting Keith hurt over some trivial squabbling.

“Maybe you should figure out what’s more _important_ to you, Lance. Is it your petty grudge against Keith or is it saving the universe —  _saving Earth_ , saving _your_ family, saving all of our families — from Zarkon and the Galra Empire? We can’t afford to have a Paladin who would rather risk the lives of their team for some grudge, instead of focusing on what’s more important.”

The ‘ _or we will have to find another Paladin_ ’ goes unsaid as Shiro turns again and exits the training room, purposely ignoring the quiet sobs he hears behind him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This work has inspired ao3 and tumblr user _mikuridaigo_ to write a continuation, which can be found [here](http://mikuridaigo.tumblr.com/post/162281538801) on tumblr. Give it a read, it's a beautiful continuation!
> 
> Thank you again for writing a continuation! I absolutely loved it and the emotion it provoked in me.  
> Let's make Lance suffer more for being an asshole for no apparent reason! He needs it in order to grow as an individual, nyehehe. ^-^/


End file.
